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1991 SG Standard goes out of tune


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Any insights into why my '91 SG Standard goes out of tune?

 

I know it's an old guitar and I shouldn't be too surprised it has issues. The neck is straight, so could it be the tuners? I notice some of the tuning buttons are a little loose. Someone also suggested maybe the nut was catching the strings... and I might insert some pencil graphite in-between the grooves.

 

Any help would be much appreciated. I want to bring her out of retirement!

 

Thanks!

 

J

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IF it's been in "retirement" for some time, it may need a good "set up!"

Tuning issues, are most often (though, not always) and issue with the nut!

When you have a set-up, have the nut slots opened up, just a little, to

insure the strings aren't "pinging" (AKA catching, in the slots) when you

tune. Adding graphite (or, powdered pencil lead) is still a good idea, and

will help insure smooth tuning. The machine heads, are not usually the

cause, but anything's possible. New strings, even properly wrapped, have

a stretching period, and will sometimes lead to tuning issues, until they're

properly stretched out, and stable. A truss rod adjustment, may also be a

factor. But, a proper set-up, should take care of all these issues.

And, of course temperature and humidity can be factors, as well, until

the guitar gets "used to" it.

 

ALL my guitars, when cased for an extended period, have what I call a

"settling down" period, where the tuning varies a bit, after I start

playing them, again. But, they usually settle down, after a short while.

 

Good Luck!

 

CB

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Yep. Revitalising a retired guitar may take some patience. Breathing new life into the old bones, I mean timbers, may cause some oddities for several weeks or so. Therefore I can confirm all what CB said in the previous post. Considering that, your SG soon will be in nice playing condition again.

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To check if the nut is binding, pluck a string and listen as you depress the string above the nut. You should hear the string go sharp and go back to normal. If it stays sharp, you can tell the nut is binding. You can get a "feel" for it anyway.

 

First though, I always stretch the strings when I put them on, and if I think I have tuning issues. I use my thumb and finger, physically stretching it. I keep doing it until it doesn't go flat anymore. I also stretch it all the way up and down the length of it. A little note about that: even a properly stretched string will go slightly flat when stretched real hard, but will go back up to tune in a few seconds.

 

In rare occasions, a worn out TOM bridge can be a problem, if the saddles are so loose and worn out that they move too much when stretching strings. That is an issue you can physically see if you look. If when stretching a string and the saddle moves forward with the string, then you might want to check it more. If you don't see or "feel" any movement, it is fine. A little loose means the saddle will move forward a bit but go back to where it was before. A REALLY loose saddle will not always go back. This applies to the whole bridge of corse (some move on the post), but I honestly don't recall ever having an issue with that.

 

Lastly (for this post), keep in mind the temperature. ALL materials shrink and expand with heat or cold, and metal does so differently than wood. So when you get a cold guitar into a warm room, the tuning will change as it warms up. Basically, until the guitar stops changing in temperature, it won't stay in tune.

 

I could go on and on......

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start with simply lubing the nut and saddle slots

 

if you don't haev a suitable product made for lubing guitar nuts, you can just try a very small dab of vaseline.. apply a small amount with a tooth pick to the nut ****

 

look up "Big Bends Nut Sauce" and order a tube. great stuff.

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To check if the nut is binding, pluck a string and listen as you depress the string above the nut. You should hear the string go sharp and go back to normal. If it stays sharp, you can tell the nut is binding. You can get a "feel" for it anyway.

 

First though, I always stretch the strings when I put them on, and if I think I have tuning issues. I use my thumb and finger, physically stretching it. I keep doing it until it doesn't go flat anymore. I also stretch it all the way up and down the length of it. A little note about that: even a properly stretched string will go slightly flat when stretched real hard, but will go back up to tune in a few seconds.

 

In rare occasions, a worn out TOM bridge can be a problem, if the saddles are so loose and worn out that they move too much when stretching strings. That is an issue you can physically see if you look. If when stretching a string and the saddle moves forward with the string, then you might want to check it more. If you don't see or "feel" any movement, it is fine. A little loose means the saddle will move forward a bit but go back to where it was before. A REALLY loose saddle will not always go back. This applies to the whole bridge of corse (some move on the post), but I honestly don't recall ever having an issue with that.

 

Lastly (for this post), keep in mind the temperature. ALL materials shrink and expand with heat or cold, and metal does so differently than wood. So when you get a cold guitar into a warm room, the tuning will change as it warms up. Basically, until the guitar stops changing in temperature, it won't stay in tune.

 

I could go on and on......

 

[biggrin][thumbup]

 

 

CB

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Thanks everyone for your help!

 

This guitar was "retired" for a while, yes. But it's been brought out and played enough by now so that it should have "settled down" by now. A friend, who's good with instruments, set it up for me a couple years ago so I thought that would take care of it. So, taking her in for another check-up will be the last resort.

 

I'll check the nut for that tell-tale sign, and give it some graphite when I change the strings next (in another day or so).

 

I bought the new tuning machines, and haven't opened the package yet. So if none of you suspects the tuners could have anything to do with this, I'll just return them.

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"Set up's" are often done (at least) a couple times a year..."winterized," and/or for "Summer," as well.

Of course, that depends on the guitar, and "conditions." IF you know how to tweak things, you can

probably do most of it, yourself. But, if in doubt...go Pro! [biggrin]

 

CB

 

[thumbup]

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